NYE 2011: 12 concerts in 12 Colorado venues this weekend

Is New Year’s Eve the ultimate amateur night? Or is it the best live entertainment outing of the year? That both answers are yes makes the holiday truly unique. It’s a night to forget about your worries — to literally put the last year behind you and start anew. And this year’s live music lineup provides a better-than-usual soundtrack for a forward-looking, champagne-swilling celebration.

Here are 12 acts in 12 venues for this weekend’s big event. Some provide music for dancing, some for listening. Some are ideal for making out, some are better for hoeing down. Either way, it’s gonna be a party.

1. Pretty Lights

This will be the biggest dance party of the weekend. Denver-based DJ-producer Pretty Lights will headline a sold-out 1stBank Center tonight and Saturday — a milestone for the artist who made it big by giving away all of his music for free. (Sold out, 1stbankcenter.com)

2. Ween

It’s going to get weird at the Fillmore Auditorium this weekend, when art-rock act Ween takes the stage tonight and Saturday. Tickets are steep — $45 for tonight, $87.50 for Saturday — but the band’s solid local fanbase is legitimate and loyal. ($45-$87.50, livenation.com)

3. Slim Cessna’s Auto Club

This legendary alt-country act is Colorado’s own god-fearing, punk-worshiping answer to the Supersuckers. They’ve been celebrating New Year’s Eve at the Bluebird for as long as Slim, Munly and Dwight can remember. And this two-night stand (tonight and Saturday) could be one of the weekend’s most memorable. ($22-$35, bluebirdtheater.net)

4. The Knew

Another Denver tradition is Knew Year’s Eve — but the Knew’s annual celebration has moved and expanded this year, jumping from the Larimer Lounge to the Hi-Dive and growing to a two-day event. The Knew and its pals (including Dendrites, FaceMan, Strange Americans, Broken Spirits and others) will play the Hi-Dive tonight and Saturday. ($10-$15, hi-dive.com)

5. G. Love and Special Sauce

G. Love is a Colorado favorite, and the man who released an Avett Brothers-produced record earlier this year will return to Boulder to headline two nights at the Fox tonight and Saturday. ($35-$71.50, foxtheatre.com)

6. Paper Bird

When Colorado Public Radio’s new indie rock station, OpenAir, debuted a few months ago, they launched their signal with “Colorado,” a song from local act Paper Bird, a group they felt represented the state and the new station’s mission. Paper Bird will play the Oriental for its second New Year’s Eve — this time with the Devil Whale, Joshua Novak and Pink Hawks. ($20-$65, theorientaltheater.com)

7. Yonder Mountain String Band

From Telluride Bluegrass to Halloween, Colorado likes to celebrate with Yonder. The Boulder-area jam band caps off an impressive four-night run at the Boulder Theater tonight and Saturday with two big sold out dates. (Sold out, bouldertheater.com)

8. Gauntlet Hair

Few indie bands from Colorado made more noise in 2011 than Gauntlet Hair, the Dead Oceans signee playing the Larimer Lounge on Saturday. The group wowed international audiences with big singles and potent buzz that never got stale, and this show — with Pictureplane and the Kevin Costner Suicide Pact — is a proper way to close the year for the band. ($10, bigmarkstickets.com)

9. The Samples

One of the biggest acts to break out of Colorado in the ’80s was the Samples, and the group will return to the Herman’s Hideaway stage on Saturday for a show that is becoming a tradition. ($28, hermanshideaway.com)

10. Bop Skizzum

The all-ages funk blow-out at Moe’s on Saturday will be a dance party, and Bop Skizzum will be its ringleaders. The show will feature a special appearance by the Hightops. ($12-$15, moesdenver.com)

11. Railroad Earth

In the last five years, Railroad Earth has completely changed its profile in Colorado. The band has jumped into larger and larger venues, playing bigger and bigger festival slots. And now, it’s selling out two of the biggest nights of the year — tonight and Saturday — at the Ogden Theatre. Next stop: Fillmore? (Sold out, ogdentheatre.net)

12. The Hollyfelds

As one of Denver’s best traditional country bands, the Hollyfelds are also one of the most professional and prolific acts of any genre in the state. Their big date on Saturday at the Skylark is also an opportunity to catch the debut of a Hollyfelds side-project: The Jekylls, which features two Hollyfelds (Eryn and Keith Hoerig) alongside two Railbenders and others. ($8, skylarklounge.com)

Follow our news and updates on Twitter, our whereabouts on Foursquare and our relationship status on Facebook. Or send us a telegram.

Ricardo Baca is the founder and executive editor of Reverb, the co-founder of The UMS and an award-winning critic and journalist at The Denver Post.